About Dawid Ras

Dawid Ras acquired his first painting in 1976 in Bloemfontein where he studied psychology at the University of the Free State. In 1979 he moved to Cape Town where the art scene was boisterous. His art collecting started in all seriousness: David Brown [sculptor], Simon Jones, Simon Stone, Sydney Khumalo, Eris Silke, Robert Slingsby, Leon De’Blique, Pippa Skotness, Christo Coetzee, Hylton Nell [ceramist], etc.

He attended numerous exhibitions and became a long serving member on the Council of the Friends of the National Gallery.

In 1982 he completed his MBA at the Business School of the University of Stellenbosch.

At age forty Dawid realised that his collection was stagnating. He decided to sell some of his works to buy others. This was done in the form of small exhibitions, at home, in collaboration with either an artist or a gallery, every first weekend of the month. The hobby became a sideline.

In 2002 a Stellenbosch art gallery asked him in to put together an exhibition under the title Dawid’s Choice. The works of Wendy Anziska, Henk Serfontein, Hanneke Benade, Hannes van Zyl, Ralph Johnson [ceramist] and Angus Taylor [sculptor] were selected. Dawid’s Choice became the title of all future exhibitions.

Age fifty: the sideline became a full time career. An attorney friend invited Dawid to become a business partner in an art gallery in Johannesburg. Dawid left Cape Town and moved to Jozi!

In June 2004 Dawid decided to go solo. He puts exhibitions together for different galleries, places and spaces across South Africa and sources unique pieces for his clients.

Since 2007, Dawid operates a permanent gallery from his residence in Sandown Estate, Johannesburg.